Hobbit Tales - Part I
by Lady Daendre
Summary: *~*FINISHED*~*What happens when two girls get involved with the four handsome hobbits.
1. Practical Jokes

Disclaimer: I do not own the cute lil' hobbits. I would love to…but unfortunately they do not fit in a box under my Christmas tree! Holly belongs to me and Jess belongs to mee friend so don't steal 'em!!!  
  
Note: I had to change some little things for sake of the story. Please do not get obsessed over details! Also A/N stands for author's note if ya didn't catch it…  
  
Chapter 1-Practical Jokes  
  
"Peregrin Took...and Holly Brandybuck. Why am I not surprised you were up to this trickery? I expected the other Brandybuck to be here, but I guess he just decided to keep his nose clean for once," the old Gaffer said. (A/N: for those of you who have only seen the movie but didn't read the book, the Gaffer is Samwise Gamgee's dad) "Sam's out with Rosie in the cornfields. You can play jokes on them after they return."  
  
Holly and Peregrin ran away quickly when they found out it wasn't either Jessica or Samwise that the ale had dropped on. Holly had created a device that, when the door opens, a tub of the ale would spill over, drenching whoever happens to be in the doorway.  
  
"Did you see the look on the ol' Gaffer's face??" Pippin laughed while Holly was busy giggling over the fact that her best friend's brother was out with his girlfriend again.  
  
"Yeah, but c'mon! The better part was the fact that Sam and Rosie are in the cornfields. And when those two are together...you know who'll be watchin' 'em!!" Holly and Pippin looked at each other and ran to the cornfields.  
  
Meanwhile, Jessica laid herself in her secret place in the cornfields. She heard voices in the fields ahead and knew immediately that they belonged to her brother, Samwise Gamgee, and his girlfriend, Rosie Cotton.  
  
"Oh, Sam, I miss just walking through the cornfields like we used to. I've been so busy lately, what with helping my father with the new tavern that is to be up soon. I wish we could be alone much more!" Rosie leaned against Sam.  
  
"I know, Rose. I feel the pain you go through because I'm going through it as well. I too am busy. I never knew how painstaking gardening could be! And Bilbo has been getting me to do a lot of preparations for his party in a month." Sam brushed a hand through Rosie's curls.  
  
Jessica, sensing not only tension, but a moment of passion arising, started mimicking her father's voice.  
  
"Get in here, boy, you've got chores! Bilbo sent for you as well!"  
  
'Every time! And just at the part I was looking forward to!' Sam thought.  
  
"Well, you better go, Samwise. I'll be looking for you every day from now until the party!" Rosie got up and left, and Sam did the same, but went in the opposite direction. He suddenly heard much laughter coming from behind him.  
  
"What is it Rosie?" Sam turned around, but he was dismayed when he found that the laughter didn't belong to Rosie, but to his sister.  
  
"Oh Sam, I miss you so much!" Jessica said in a sarcastic tone, trying to mimic Rosie's tone.  
  
" Shut up, Jessie, you ruined the most perfect moment I've ever had!! You always interrupt when we're about to kiss...Next time I'm sneakin' out of the house so you don't follow me!" Sam looked angrily at his sister, who was dressed in her usual boyish look.  
  
"Then I shall stay up every single night to follow you. I made this to give to Pippin as a birthday gift. Do you think he'll like it?" Jessica handed Sam a piece of wood carven to take the shape of a dragon.  
  
"Knowing the twit, he'll think it's supposed to be a horse. But perhaps he'll have enough sense to think it's a dragon. I think he'll like it. But I don't know why you even bother giving it to him...it's not like he ever gets you anything on your birthday." The two had reached their hobbit hole.  
  
"You wouldn't understand why. You're just a stupid gardener!" Jessica laughed at the angry look on Sam's face when she said this and ran into her room, closing the door in front of his face.  
  
Minutes later, there was a knock on the Gamgee's door followed by some shouting.  
  
"Hey, Ms. Gamgee! Come here, quick!" a male voice sounded in the doorway.  
  
'Pippin...now's my chance to give him his present!' Jessica thought.  
  
"Yeah, if you don't come quick, you'll miss all the fun!!" a female voice boomed throughout the hobbit hole.  
  
'Damn...why'd Holly have to be here??'  
  
Jessica walked outside to meet her friends. She blushed when Pippin kissed her hand and the three went off to find Frodo, who was over at Merry's.  
  
"So...Pippin..." Jessica started, when she realized she didn't have anything to say. "You're going to Bilbo Baggins' party, right?" She blurted out quickly. It was the first thing that came to her mind.  
  
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it. I've got much work to plan something big to somehow involve myself in the party!" Pippin looked lost in thought about some master plan.  
  
"Well...I was...y'know...wondering if you'd...umm..." Jessica was drawing a blank on what to say.  
  
'Come on Jess...you can do it!' Holly mentally said.  
  
"Well I basically...wanted to know if you wanted to...go to the party together...you know..." Jessica blushed while she said this. She loved Pippin dearly but she disliked the closeness of him and Holly because she always felt she was somewhat left out.  
  
"Of course I'll go with you! That is if Holly wouldn't mind going without me," Pippin grinned cheekily at Holly. That was when Holly first realized that Pippin liked her more than a friend.  
  
"Oh, I don't mind!" Holly smiled, then it turned to a frown. Her best male friend suddenly had feelings for her, but she couldn't think of ever having a relationship with him. She thought of Frodo and she wished that she were friends with him as must as she was friends with Pippin.  
  
"Well, then it's a date, my dear!" Pippin linked his arm with Jessica's and ran up ahead of Holly.  
  
"Hey guys, wait up!" Holly ran after them and tripped right in front of Frodo.  
  
"Are you alright, my dear?" Frodo asked, helping her up.  
  
"Why...I'm...I'm fine," Holly grinned and she stood up, but immediately felt a twinge of pain in her hairy foot.  
  
"Don't move, you sprained your ankle! Here, let me help you," Frodo supported her by placing her arm around his shoulder and the two hopped into his hobbit hole.  
  
A/N: Don't worry, Chapter 2's on its way! Please R&R!!! 


	2. In Over Their Heads

Chapter 2-In Over Their Heads  
  
The five hobbits gathered around Merry's kitchen. Merry was preparing tea and listening to Pippin's and Holly's account of the practical joke they tried to play on Sam, but ended up playing on the Gaffer. Merry laughed when they were finished.  
  
"So you really managed to get the Gaffer drenched in alcohol…I never knew you two could do it!" Merry looked at the two practical jokers.  
  
"Yes, but I have a feeling, we'll get ourselves into trouble if we continue. So, Pippin, you and Jess…going to the party! Let me tell you how cute that is!!" Holly laughed when Jess turned five shades of red in twelve seconds…if that's even possible.  
  
"Yeah, we're going to go to Bilbo's party together. I thought it would be lots of fun!" Pippin said. He grinned at Jessica friendly and then looked at Holly in a flirting manner. Holly tried to pretend she didn't notice; no one else did. She was getting nervous that she wouldn't be able to say no to him.  
  
"You know, that party's not just for Bilbo, I'm turning thirty-three!" Frodo acted as if he was being left out. Holly giggled at his lame attempt to get himself into the conversation.  
  
"I can't believe it, our little hobbit's becoming a man. How enticing!" Jessica laughed as Frodo was about to whine once again, but thought against it.  
  
"Come on, Jessica, give it a rest. I'm sure Mr. Frodo's tired from working on preparations for the party!" Holly defended the hobbit she loved.  
  
Pippin looked at Frodo and, being the slower hobbit, didn't really take this comment as defending in a flirting manner. He just saw it as sticking up for the hobbit.  
  
"Let's give everything a rest and go over to my hobbit hole. It's extremely messy and I need to get it cleaned up before the company comes tomorrow!" Merry was about to continue when the door opened hastily.  
  
"Alright, who took it??" a hobbit raced through the door and looked as if there was a scandal in the air.  
  
"Who took what?" Frodo asked, getting up from his chair.  
  
"Your uncle's mithril corslet is gone. And everyone's been pointing the fingers to you!" the hobbit looked defiantly at the five companions and gestured for them to follow him.  
  
"But why would we steal something so precious to the old hobbit? We would never do such a thing! Besides, I'm related to the old fellow and I know how much that corslet meant to him!" Frodo denied everything that was charged against him and his friends.  
  
"We'll just question Bilbo then, maybe he knows who would have a motive to steal the treasure."  
  
With that, the five friends followed the other hobbit to Bilbo's house, which was less than a league away. The hobbit who had accused the others of stealing knocked on Bilbo's door even though a sign lay on the gate reading "No admittance. (except on party business)".  
  
"Are you sure we should be doing this? I mean, Bilbo's probably stressed out from all the party-planning!" Holly was nervous because Pippin was staring at her and she didn't want something to happen that would somehow prove that they were guilty, even though they most certainly weren't. Or did Pippin do something to get all of her friends in over their heads?  
  
Bilbo opened the door before she could whisper anything to Pippin. "Go away. Party business ONLY!" He shouted, but before Bilbo could close the door, the unknown hobbit put his hand between the frame and the door.  
  
"Excuse me, but I have a few questions to ask you." The unknown hobbit glared into the eyes of the older hobbit, who was glaring back. It was clear that these two did not get along well.  
  
"Ask quickly. Then leave even quicker!" Bilbo did not tear his eyes away from the unknown hobbit.  
  
"Do you know of anyone who would steal your mithril coat? It has been found missing just yesterday from the museum." The unknown hobbit started to cower away.  
  
"Why, it's not missing, I just took it home with me yesterday. Maybe if you checked with Master Took who gave me the corslet, you would have known this information!" Bilbo looked more sweeter at the other hobbits who were breathing sighs of relief. "Now, if you will please leave me alone with the other five hobbits, I will surely let you live another day!"  
  
The unknown hobbit quickly ran away, for he feared Bilbo mightily. He heard many stories surrounding the mysterious dwarves he traveled with. He thought that Bilbo was not the kindly old hobbit he seems to be, but actually has become stubborn and cold-hearted, like the dwarves. (A/N: Geez, if Gimli were here, he'd use that axe to put a dent in this hobbit's head!)  
  
"So, my friends, I hear you're getting mighty excited for the big party I'm hosting!" Bilbo smiled as he put on a kettle of water for tea.  
  
"Yes, we are really looking forward to it! I'm sure it'll be huge as ever." Jessica had a wide smile to show how much she can't wait to be escorted by Pippin.  
  
"Jessica's going with me to your party, Master Baggins. I foresee much excitement and fun!" Pippin grinned while Bilbo looked frightened.  
  
"Just don't ruin it, Peregrin Took, that's all I ask. Frodo, my dear lad, have you found a date? I think the host of the party should have one, especially to this important celebration!" Bilbo glanced over at Holly, who looked hopeful that Frodo would choose her.  
  
"Well, I haven't found one yet…but I was thinking of someone to ask. I'll ask her sometime in a bit of more privacy. If you'll excuse me, I should very well like to go back home. I'm tired and I've got much work to do for tomorrow. Holly, would you like me to walk you home? Your house is on the way." (A/N: let's just say all of the hobbits live in Hobbiton in my story…it makes my story a helluva lot easier!)  
  
"I'd love to. Merry, you'll meet me home, right?" Holly got up and looked at her bandaged foot. She had forgotten the whole spraining incident and was grinning because Frodo once again lent a shoulder to the limping hobbit.  
  
Once out of earshot, Frodo began talking to Holly.  
  
"So, Holly, I was wondering if you've found a date for the party yet." Frodo began confidently.  
  
"No, actually I haven't, Mr. Baggins." Holly said politely.  
  
"Well, in that case, would you like to escort the Frodo Baggins to the famous birthday party?" Frodo stopped to stare at Holly.  
  
"I would love to!" Holly embraced the hobbit in a very tight hug and Frodo looked almost unsure of his decision to ask Holly to the party.  
  
"I noticed Pippin was taking quite a liking to you…" Frodo began after the silence after the hug.  
  
"How could you tell…was it the way he stares at me or the fact the he was practically kissing me mentally back at Bilbo's!" Holly stared at the ground, trying not to make it seem like she was crying because she had this feeling that Frodo was going to try and get her to go after Pippin instead of him.  
  
"Oh, come on, Holly, he's a really sweet hobbit! I'm sure you know that because you've been able to go on some of his practical joke stakeouts. Just give the hobbit a chance to be romantic and he will. I know it!"  
  
The two hobbits reached the hobbit hole and Frodo kissed Holly goodnight on the cheek. "I'll probably be over tomorrow, helping Merry clean up the old hobbit hole. Maybe you could show me around your room, Merry's been telling me how stylish it looks!" Frodo suggested.  
  
"NO!" Holly quickly rejected the suggestion. "I mean, it's kind of messy…it would take me a while to clean. Perhaps some other time." Holly closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a few seconds, in a pensive state. 'Now I'm really in over my head!' Holly thought. 


	3. The Mistake To End All Mistakes

Chapter 3-The Mistake To End All Mistakes  
  
Merry came home after drinking some pints with the hobbits. He opened the door and looked around for his sister, who happened to be in her room, which was locked. He knocked on the locked door and waited for an answer.  
  
"Merry, is that you?" Holly's voice called from her room. She was writing another poem about Frodo and adding it to her book of poetry devoted to him.  
  
"Yeah, sis, open up! I need to talk to you." Merry waited to hear the sound of Holly unlocking the door and then pushed the door open.  
  
"So, what's going on? You've been telling Frodo about my room…you didn't mention anything about the pictures, right…RIGHT?!?" Holly looked nervously into her brother's eyes, searching for the one sign that she didn't want to see. His eyes did not contain the hint of guilt that Holly feared, so she sighed a breath of relief.  
  
Merry looked around to see all the sketches Holly had been secretly doing every now and then when she saw him lying on the trees. "No, I didn't tell him anything about the pictures. But, can you tell me whether I have a chance with your best friend…?  
  
"Oh my god…you like Pippin?!?" Holly dropped to the ground, laughing, until Merry rolled his eyes and corrected her.  
  
"No…I was talking about Jess!! You've been hanging around Pippin waaaay too often!"  
  
"I was just kidding, Merry. And I hope you know, Jess really likes Pippin…but perhaps she will like you if you show that you can be romantic."  
  
"I need a date for the dance…I don't want to be the only hobbit in our friendship chain without a date!!"  
  
"Go alone and sweep Jess off her feet, she'd love that!" Holly suggested. "Now, leave me alone, I want to finish this poem and then go to sleep. The gang's coming over to help you clean up and I want to get up before you let them come into my room with all the pictures of Frodo up…"  
  
"Alright, Holly, I'll wake you up in the morning, bright and early."  
  
The next five hours of sleep went by slowly for Holly. She went through many nightmares of what would happen should Frodo find his way into her room. She also dreamed Pippin tried to kiss her and Frodo saw this and everything else went wrong as well.  
  
She woke up the next day to Merry's ramblings of why she should wake up.  
  
"And if you do continue to sleep, I shall show Frodo your room with the hidden key." Merry continued his ramblings until she opened her eyes.  
  
"So, Merry, this is the first time we don't need to clean the house for company! What will you do with all this time?" Holly laughed and went to the table to eat the breakfast Merry had cooked.  
  
There was a knock at the door once the two hobbit-siblings finished their breakfast.  
  
"Whoa, they decided to come really early…" Holly got the door and found that it was Pippin.  
  
"I hope you don't me coming over early, I wanted to catch you before the others did," Pippin winked at Holly and then looked at Merry, who looked eager to talk to Pippin.  
  
Merry put his shoulder around Pippin and led him outside.  
  
"Pippin, can I ask you a few questions?" Merry walked outside with Pippin and began talking to him about Jessica.  
  
Meanwhile, Holly heard another knock at the door and found Frodo behind it. She grinned as she let Frodo in and put some water on for tea.  
  
"So, Pippin, will you be totally disappointed if I were to…say…steal Jessica away from you during Bilbo's party?" Merry continued.  
  
"Not very. But I'll only let you do so if you can get Holly to escort me instead!" Pippin grinned, seeing the vision of Holly in his mind.  
  
"I don't know…that could be difficult…You see…she's kind of into…well…she just likes you as a friend, I'll stop at that." Merry fumbled over his words, trying to keep the loud-mouthed hobbit from telling everyone about Frodo's crush.  
  
"Oh really, so…you're saying that Holly likes someone else…not me?" Pippin looked sadly at the door, because he had seen Frodo heading towards the hobbit hole just after him. He just hoped that it wasn't Frodo Holly liked.  
  
"Oh, come on Pip, I know that someone likes you…but you just forfeited her to me!" With that, Merry went inside the house, laughing at Pippin's surprised face as he noticed Frodo and Holly talking about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins.  
  
"So then, the trolls just turned to rock in the sun after the hours of debate. The dwarves had fled straight clear of the forest, but not until they each took some treasures the trolls had been hiding. Bilbo even found a sword he called "Sting." Oh, hi guys. After we finish the tea, can we start on Holly's room?? I want to check out just how stylish this room of hers is."  
  
"Um…I don't think we shall be doing that. It's…really really messy!" Merry formed many excuses in his head, should Frodo and Pippin try and get him to open it anyway.  
  
"That's why we're here, you idiot! To clean up the house, and that will be accomplished entirely, even her room!" Pippin teamed up on the two siblings.  
  
"Yeah but…" Merry started but knew it would be useless to keep them from the room.  
  
"Come on Merry, out with the key. I think it'll be easier if we start from that room." Frodo looked over at Holly who was trying hard to keep from looking nervous.  
  
Merry went into a dresser and took out a key. He slowly walked over to Holly's door and noticed her closing her eyes. She didn't want to blink to see whether the reaction of Frodo would be good or bad. He then put the key into the keyhole and turned the knob. The door creaked open slowly and there were gasps from both Pippin and Frodo at the sight of Holly's room. Frodo looked alarmed with all the pictures that hung up of him all around her room.  
  
"Holly!" That was all Frodo managed to say before he fell into a chair and his head leaned on his hand as Holly went into her room, closed her door, and started crying from embarrassment. 


	4. Clean Up at the Brandybucks'

Chapter 4-Clean-Up at the Brandybucks'  
  
Frodo, feeling somewhat embarrassed himself, took the key from Merry's hand, unlocked the door that Holly was now sobbing behind, and pushed the door open, locking it behind himself.  
  
"What do you want? To make me feel even more miserable than I am already?" Holly didn't think she could possibly hurt inside any more than she already did, not unless Frodo mocked her drawings.  
  
"I just want to comment on your drawings," Frodo began. 'Uh-oh here it comes he's going to tell me that they don't look good.' Holly thought. "They're beautiful but when did you draw them all?" Frodo was happy when Holly looked less hurt and pain-stricken.  
  
"Well, I found myself following you to the treetops of Hobbiton just so I could lay a pencil to the page and draw these beautiful sketches." Holly found herself speaking poetically; she even spoke some excerpts of the poem she had just written. Frodo couldn't help but grin at this and sat right next to Holly on her bed. She then decided that, because Frodo didn't seem to hate this attention he got from Holly, that she would recite the poem.  
  
Blue eyes, sparkling like the sea  
  
Calling to me painfully  
  
While I ask why must this happen?  
  
If I could confess my love  
  
I would have this guilt uplifted  
  
And we could live peacefully together.  
  
Your heart calls for me,  
  
I can feel it in my bones,  
  
You secretly want me to be with you.  
  
Please, don't let this continue,  
  
Tell me you need me to  
  
Live every day until eternity,  
  
I will wait until you give your answer.  
  
Holly waited for Frodo to say something about this poem she had read aloud, and while she was doing so, she studied Frodo's features.  
  
"That was beautiful! When did you learn to draw and write like this??" Holly's creative talent amazed Frodo.  
  
"I just kind of picked it up after a while. I guess it might have run in my family whoever they were" Holly stared at the ground. Again, the fear of loneliness returned. She thought it went away when she was taken in by the Brandybucks, but she kept feeling like she didn't fit in with her adopted family.  
  
"Oh, don't be sad, Holly, you've got friends, and more importantly people who truly love you. There is no need to have the gloomy face, especially around me." Frodo put his arm around Holly's shoulder and would have moved in to kiss the hobbit, but he heard voices coming from the kitchen.  
  
"I think Sam and Jess are here, Frodo, but I will be waiting to continue this lovely talk." Holly got up and opened the door, listening intently to the two sibling hobbits, Sam and Jess, talking.  
  
"Oh come on, Sam, we all know that you're obsessed with Rosie. Just admit it!" Jess laughed at Sam's red face. Sam didn't say anything so Jess went on. "Love bird! Love bird! Sing for us, love bird!" Jessica saw Holly emerging from her room, followed by Frodo and stopped this attack on her brother.  
  
"Hey, Jess, how long are you going to be teasing your brother? Because we could surely use your help, but if you're just going to be a nuisance, you might as well leave!" Holly moved away from Frodo, but glanced backwards to see him grinning.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm finished. Now, let's all grab a broom, we've got some work to do!" Jessica laughed and occasionally made her way over to Pippin to whack him with her broom every once in a while. Pippin made the occasional sad glance over at Holly and knew that Holly liked Frodo and sadly, he returned the emotions. Merry looked at Pippin, who had begun changing his mind about Jessica, now that he knew that Holly was no longer in his grasp. Frodo and Holly were having broom fights every five minutes, which were broken up by Merry and Sam, but they ended up continuing the fights anyway. It seemed like days until the Brandybuck hobbit hole was in order, but it was only a few hours. They had taken the occasional break to eat meals, but Merry only allowed his friends ten minutes to prepare the food and fifteen to eat. They stared at the newly cleaned hobbit hole in awe, for it looked like it had just been painted and refurnished.  
  
"Um...Holly, would you like to continue our conversation in your room?" Frodo asked, grabbing her hand and placing it around his shoulder. Once inside the room, Frodo spoke again. "I see your leg has healed quickly."  
  
"Well, your ointment has helped very much. I've been staying off it as much as possible," Holly placed her head on his shoulder and grinned. This was the one moment she had dreamed up and would always see in her mind. Now, it was finally happening and she didn't know what else to do. She looked at Frodo's kind, loving face, whose eyes now closed and his face leaned into hers. They embraced for a long, passionate kiss that seemed to last a lifetime. Frodo finally broke away when he heard "Ooh-ing" from the doorway. Neither hobbit had locked the door, while the other four hobbits watched this scene as if it were free for all to see. Holly blushed and looked over at Jessica, who was grinning from ear to ear.  
  
'Now if only I could get Pippin to be this passionate...' Jessica thought, and then walked inside Holly's room and took her best friend's hand. "Come on, Holly, I need you to do something for me." Jessica whispered.  
  
Frodo fell back onto her bed and looked around at all the pictures that were posted on Holly's room of him. He heard the other hobbits laughing at him and making fun of him, but he didn't mind. He got his girl, which was all that mattered. 


	5. A Day at the Gamgees'

Chapter 5-A Day at the Gamgees'  
  
Early the next day, Holly went out to gaze at the view and sketched the landscape while Merry went out to search for pretty, shiny rocks, which Jessica happened to like. Holly started drawing Frodo's hobbit hole into the landscape and then put the pencil down and went into a memory of last night.  
  
"Holly, are you sure Jessica will like these? Will she take my hint??" Merry was very nervous and hoped that what he was doing would not end up getting Pippin deeper into a relationship with Jessica instead.  
  
"Of course she will! She loves collecting rocks and I know that if you give them to her she'll know you care." Holly went back to drawing her landscape and found her drawing Frodo in front of the house staring back at her.  
  
"I hope you're right." Merry and Holly spent an hour not speaking to each other until Merry spoke up. "Well, I filled up the bag, I think it's time to go to the Gamgee's. I hear Pippin is visiting as well. I'd be careful!"  
  
"Oh shut up, everyone in the Shire knows Frodo and I kissed last night because of Pippin's big mouth! I doubt Pippin would try anything." Holly signed her drawing and stood up next to Merry, who was staring across the Shire, looking for the Gamgee hobbit hole.  
  
"Alright, let's just go and get this over with!" Merry and Holly started walking on the road that would lead to Bag End, which was the hobbit hole next to the Gamgees hobbit hole.  
  
Holly stopped shortly to look at the view and tried to get Merry to pick up some more pretty, shiny rocks, but he refused, saying that he had too many as it was. They finally reached the old hobbit hole and Holly knocked on the door. She saw her best friend at the door with her brother behind her.  
  
"Hey, Holly! Merry! I'm glad you guys stopped by, I got Pippin to come over and thought it would be cool if you could draw my portrait for him!" Jessica said and waited for Holly's approval while Merry clutched nervously at the bag of rocks.  
  
"I guess I could do Pippin's portrait, but it would take a lot of time and concentration. Everyone watching will have to be quiet so that you don't end up laughing." Holly said and went inside to start a conversation with Sam while getting out her drawing supplies.  
  
"Hey, Jessica, I have something for you." Merry started and then stopped not sure how to continue. "Here," Merry gave her the bag and was afraid to see the reaction.  
  
Jessica opened the leather bag and when she saw the pretty, shiny rocks, her eyes lit up. "Oh Merry, you shouldn't have! That was such a thoughtful gesture! Thank you!" Jessica thought that the rocks were just a simple gift and that Merry hadn't put too much thought into it.  
  
Another knock came at the door; it was Pippin and Frodo. Frodo grinned when he saw Holly was over, too, and walked over, giving her a hug.  
  
"Why is it that we can never have a get-together without the entire crew coming?" Sam asked his sister, who shrugged and went over to Pippin, telling him what was going to happen.  
  
"Oh Frodo, I drew this while I was outside this morning and I thought you might like it," Holly gave Frodo the drawing of his hobbit hole with him standing in it.  
  
"Another beautiful drawing. I shall cherish this for years to come!" Frodo clutched the drawing to his chest.  
  
"Alright, I need everyone to be silent and don't make Jess laugh! I need complete concentration, anyway." Holly made Jessica sit down, and then Holly adjusted Jessica's sitting position and made her look her absolute best before she started laying the pencil to the blank page.  
  
With a few swift strokes, Holly had already drawn the shape of Jessica's head, and Merry and Pippin managed to find the ale in the liquor cabinet. Pippin had already drunk two pints by the time Holly finished the eyes and nose. Now, she had finished the lips, neck, and hairline, while Pippin got up for his third pint.  
  
"I think you've had enough ale for today, Perg...Perrr...Pergerin...Peregrin Took!" Merry slurred while taking another swig of ale.  
  
"Will you boys be quiet? You're breaking my concentration!" Holly shouted for silence. She looked to Frodo for help, who hadn't touched the ale yet.  
  
It took another hour for Holly to finish shading in and adding more detail to the drawing. She then signed the drawing like she did with Frodo's and handed it to Pippin.  
  
"Whassssssss thisssssssss ferrrrrr?" Pippin drawled out.  
  
"I want you to have it, as a gift." Jessica said, smiling. She frowned when Pippin just hiccupped and made no sign of being thankful for the gift.  
  
"Maybe I should walk you home, Pippin, you look awfully sick!" Holly took Pippin's arm and put it around her shoulder.  
  
"Thanssss Ms. Gamgeeeeeee, I shalllllllll ferevvvvvver treassssssure your gifffffft." Pippin managed to say before Holly led him out the door.  
  
"That's just sick..." Frodo said before the two were out of earshot.  
  
"What's sick?" Sam asked, who was annoyed that Pippin spilled ale over his new carpet.  
  
"The fact that Pippin managed to down four pints in one and a half hours and still manages to walk somewhat consciously."  
  
"You know he's not really conscious right now, but is just relying on the ale to talk for him, right?" Jessica commented and laughed when she saw Sam's horrified face when the stain wouldn't come out.  
  
Merry had only drunken two pints before he stopped because of Pippin's rousyness. (A/N: I made up that word...) He still had most of his brain cells left working to figure out that Jessica still hadn't showed signs of love towards him. He also noticed that his rocks were lying on the edge where Jessica carelessly placed them there. A tear left his eye as he staggered out of the door and left Jessica, Frodo, and Sam alone. 


	6. Suspisions

Chapter 6-Suspisions  
  
Frodo and Sam brought Jessica into her room after she had fallen asleep. Sam looked at his sister and wondered whether he would have the need to protect her. He thought of Pippin and thought how accident-prone and all- around stupid he could sometimes be and shuddered. Then, he saw the pile of rocks lying on the table and a thought occurred to him. He realized Merry had a crush on Jessica and thanked God that there was a better candidate the Pippin.  
  
"Frodo, do you think Pippin would be hurt if I tried to set Merry and Jessica up?" Sam looked at his friend with a devilish look in his eye.  
  
"Pippin wouldn't even know what was going on! Face it, he's not all in the head a majority of the time." Frodo started to leave for his hobbit hole when Sam spoke a warning.  
  
"Take good care of Holly. I know she means a lot to my sister and I would be just as hurt as Jessica if I found out you weren't treating Holly properly.  
  
Frodo smiled at his best friend and nodded. He left and walked along a trail of footprints left by Pippin, Holly, and Merry.  
  
Meanwhile, a few miles ahead, Holly was making sure Pippin got to the bed before he passed out. It seemed that Pippin wasn't really that drunk because he knew who was hanging over him, placing the covers of his bed over his cold body. In fact, he was sober enough to grab Holly by the hand and give her a large, sloppy kiss right on her lips. Holly looked up with wide, surprised eyes and looked horrified towards Pippin.  
  
"I keeeeeeep yerrrrrrrrrrr drawing 'cussssssssss you drewwww it." Pippin said, and then his head rolled to the side as he passed out.  
  
Holly walked with teary eyes towards the door and decided that the first thing she would do the next day was tell Frodo what happened. She made up her mind that this kiss was not as passionate, nor as perfect as the one with Frodo. She had just lost all feelings she ever had about Pippin through one simple kiss, but decided to try her best to stay friends with the darling hobbit.  
  
Holly ran the rest of the way home and ran straight into Merry's arms, who was standing out at the doorway, waiting for his sister to return.  
  
"What took you so long...are you crying?" Merry stroked her hair and brought her inside.  
  
"Sweet darling brother..." Holly started, but couldn't figure out what she should say. "I walked Pippin home and it took me a while to get him into his bed...and then he really surprised me with a kiss on my lips!" Holly started crying and couldn't stop until Merry gave some advice.  
  
"If you love Frodo and not Pippin, you should have nothing to worry about. Pippin was just drunk, and, I know that he likes you, but I don't think he would kiss you when he knew that you were with Frodo. Besides, I'm also sure that he's starting to have feelings for Jessica." Merry said this with disgust, and looked down at the ground again.  
  
"Oh, poor you, she didn't show any signs of interest, I take it..." Holly hugged her brother closely and wondered how Jessica could be attracted by Pippin. He just didn't seem her type.  
  
Merry and Holly soon fell asleep in their own rooms and waited for the morning to come while having peaceful dreams.  
  
Holly woke with a start when she felt a knife held to her chest. She couldn't tell who it was at first, and when it saw that she was awake, it ran away, not allowing Holly to make out who it was. Holly woke up, feeling nervous from the close encounter, and went to find Merry to make sure he was all right.  
  
To her relief, Merry was more than fine; he was up and cooking breakfast. He smiled cheerfully at her and offered her some food. Holly refused it, saying she didn't feel hungry.  
  
"I just had a bad dream that was all," Holly thought back to the shadowed figure and wondered what on Middle-Earth that creature could have been. To Holly's curiosity, she went to the museum to fetch some trinkets for Bilbo, and heard talk about a mysterious elf roaming around the Shire. Holly wondered whether the elf was the one who had stalked her this morning, maybe even possibly last night.  
  
Holly received the trinkets and carefully walked over to Bilbo's hobbit hole, taking in every detail and making sure that this mysterious elf was not still stalking her. She arrived at the hobbit hole just as Bilbo was cooking second breakfast, and stayed to keep the old man company.  
  
"I hear my son is taking you to my birthday party. I was very pleased with his choice!" Bilbo looked at her faced and noticed she seemed preoccupied. "What is it that troubles you, my child?"  
  
"I awoke today to a knife held at my chest. I could not see who it was that held the knife, but I have a feeling it might be the mysterious elf who has been the center of attention lately." Holly paused when Frodo came in through the doorway to Bag End.  
  
"Holly, what a pleasant surprise to see you here!" Frodo noticed something was wrong when Holly looked less happy than usual.  
  
Holly quickly explained what had happened to Frodo and went on with her story. "So, I don't think I shall be sleeping peacefully for a while. I need to master the skill of appearing to be asleep. I will catch this knife-bearer!" Holly leaned on her hand and looked to Frodo and Bilbo for help.  
  
"You should sleep somewhere other than your bed tonight. Why don't you stay over Frodo's hole for the night?" Bilbo suggested this, knowing neither would object.  
  
"That sounds like a splendid idea. You'll protect me, won't you Frodo?" Holly laughed when Frodo blushed at the idea.  
  
The two hobbits walked out into the noontime sun and held hands the entire way to Frodo's hobbit hole. They talked about adventures and poetry. Holly realized that Merry would worry about her when she wouldn't return, so she sent Bilbo to give the message to him. Holly and Frodo sat on a chair and embraced in a moment of passion as Frodo stroked Holly's head and laid his lips on hers. 


	7. And the Search Goes On

Chapter 7-And the Search Goes On  
  
Merry got worried when his sister never returned home. He went to see if Holly was over at the Gamgees' and figured that he would also get a chance to talk to Jessica. He made his way over to the small hobbit hole and noticed that the hobbits were talking until he passed, and they would stop while he passed.  
  
"Hey, Merry, what's wrong? You seem tense." Jessica said when she got the door.  
  
"I can't find Holly, she hasn't come back from Bilbo's and it's been nearly five hours!" Merry looked worriedly at the ground when he found that Holly wasn't there.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll help you find her. Sam's with Pippin, maybe she's there too?" Jessica grabbed Merry's hand and the two ran out of the door and as fast as they could, they sprinted to the Took hobbit hole.  
  
"Pippin…please tell me Holly's here!" Merry's eyes were glazed with tears.  
  
"No, she isn't. But I bet she's at Frodo's. Where else would those two be besides together?" Pippin chuckled; he finally got over Holly when he realized what had happened.  
  
"Let's go, then! We don't know if something terrible has happened to her!" Jessica grabbed Pippin's hand. Pippin then retracted it.  
  
"I better stay home. If Holly comes by, I'll tell her to go straight home, alright?" Pippin asked. (A/N: I dunno what it was, but I could just see Pippin going "aiight?")  
  
Merry and Jessica went back out in search of the hobbit and quickly ran to Frodo's hole.  
  
"Merry, I may have been a little tired last night, but this morning, when I saw the rocks…I thought of you…and…" Jessica ran out of things to say. She was confused when she had felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach while holding Merry's hand. She didn't know whom to choose, so she decided to think about it before asking one of the hobbits.  
  
Merry's eyes lit up when he heard this. "Jessica…I never expected this…"  
  
"Please, say no more, let's keep it at that." Jessica said and knocked on the door in front of them.  
  
Frodo answered the door and was happy to see Jessica and Merry.  
  
"Where were you, I was worried sick!" Merry screamed so that everyone within a mile radius could here.  
  
"I guess you never got Bilbo's message!" Holly laughed and then told her brother and best friend about what had happened.  
  
"So you're staying here?" Jessica said after she finished.  
  
"Yes, I have to! But in order for this to work, you need to dress like me. Let's change clothes and wear a cloak. Merry, protect her as much as possible. Maybe conceal a frying pan?" Although she wasn't showing it, Holly was much more nervous about this than everyone else was.  
  
"You two have been thinking up some plan!" Merry looked at Frodo's cheesy grin and realized just how they thought up the plan. (A/N: No, they kissed guys…this is a PG fic!!)  
  
Jessica changed out of her usual boyish pants and shirt outfit, and into Holly's floral dress. Jessica hated the look of her in a dress, but Merry reassured her that she looked fine.  
  
"Bye, and good luck!!" Holly bid them goodbye.  
  
Holly and Frodo ate dinner after Merry and Jessica left, and they were calm until, halfway through the meal, Holly heard footsteps up to the hobbit hole, followed by a large noise as the door swung open, revealing an elf clothed in black. The elf walked slowly up to Holly, who was frozen still with fear.  
  
The elf took out a knife and held it to Holly's face. He pulled his hood down from his head so that the two fearful hobbits could see his face.  
  
"Holly Misurka, I am Nenya Cherryblossom," Nenya said. (Nenya is quenya for "water." I named him this because he has power over water and the creatures that live in them. I might use him in another fanfic :D )  
  
"Misurka…? You must be mistaken, I'm Holly Brandybuck." Holly corrected him.  
  
"No, you are mistaken. I come from Mirkwood, and I was a friend of your parents before they left you on the doorstep of the Brandybucks. You see, now that you are thirty-two, I was sent to inform you of your parents. So, I think over a nice cup of tea and maybe a meal or two, I will feel comfortable in telling you of your family." Nenya waited for the two hobbits were wide-mouthed when they found out this information.  
  
After a meal and a nice cup of tea, Nenya felt ready to begin his story of the past.  
  
"Let me start from the beginning…when you were born. Your parents loved you dearly and they would often take you around on their crazy adventures. One time, they even dressed you up in a small coat of mail because they feared you might stray and get his by an orc arrow. On one particular day, they received a mysterious note from some unknown source warning them to hand you over, Holly, but they refused, and to keep you safe, left you with me to take care of while they sought out the writer of this note. I cannot tell you how much I loved you after taking care of you for two months. You were strong for a two-year old. Anyway, I began to sense an evil force approaching Mirkwood, so I sought out the king, Thranduil, who suggested I leave you in Hobbiton with the rest of the hobbits. So, I set out for Hobbiton. I followed one particular family for two days before deciding to leave you on their doorstep. They were the Brandybucks, your current family. I was very disheartened to just leave you there, but I had to. I knew that if I left you in Mirkwood, the evil being who wanted you dead would have found you. But when I left you with friends, your name was erased from history and with that, the evil being was changed forever. I cannot say anymore, for I have no knowledge of what happened after that. Now, if you shall excuse me, I must go find a place to sleep in the forest tonight. I see how you need sleep. I shall come back tomorrow and you can tell me all that has happened since I left you on the doorstep." With that, Nenya left the hobbit hole just as quickly as he barged in. Both hobbits were confused at why he held a knife to Holly, but figured he was just being precautious. 


	8. Fight Club

Chapter 8-Fight Club  
  
Holly woke up early the next morning and slept much better than she thought she would. She looked to the sleeping body of Frodo and smiled. Now that she was certainly safe from the one who was stalking her, Holly went outside into the light of the early morning sun and stretched. She smiled when she saw her new friend, Nenya, sleeping under a tree, eyes open, in the way the elves often sleep.  
  
She stared at the beauty of the sunrise and wished she had a pencil and some paper to draw the horizon. She sat down on the stoops and saw a figure approaching Frodo's hobbit hole.  
  
"Hello, Holly, I just came by to check up on you, Jessica sent me." Sam walked up to her and sat next to her. "Hey, who's the elf?"  
  
"Just a friend. I met him last night, he told me about my parents. As for Jessica, what is she up to?" Holly turned her gaze from her elf friend to Sam to notice his anger.  
  
"She's with Pippin. I can't stand her being around Pippin, it just gives me the creeps!" Sam said and his eyes twitched in a furious rage.  
  
"Calm down, Sam, I'm sure she'll realize some day that Pippin's not right for her. At least I hope she does, because he did…kind of…kiss me while he was drunk the other night." Holly stared at the ground, as this comment humiliated her.  
  
"He…did what? So he likes you…I knew I could see it…but—" Sam began, but was quickly interrupted.  
  
"Yes, but don't forget, I don't return the favor! I'm in love with Frodo, someone who I can actually count on!" Holly sighed and then noticed Nenya waking up. She just hoped that Sam wouldn't tell Pippin her hurtful words.  
  
"Hello Mistress Misurka." Nenya noticed the new hobbit and smiled. "Who's this handsome fellow?"  
  
"This is Samwise Gamgee. He's my best friend's brother." Holly began. "And please, call me Holly. And I'm no longer a Misurka. Although I still love what I can remember of my parents, I became a part of the Brandybucks when they adopted me."  
  
"Alright, Holly." Nenya said and noticed Frodo sleeping inside. "How long have you liked this young hobbit? Frodo, was it?"  
  
"Yes, t'was Frodo. I have liked him for about two months but have always been to shy to act upon my emotions." Holly said sadly. "If only I was braver back then."  
  
"Please, milady, don't speak like this. It hurts me to see you so sad. Let us go find your friends after Frodo awakes and we shall all cheer you up!" Nenya placed his hand under Holly's chin and raised it. "Mistress Brandybuck, I promise you, you will never be sad again after today!"  
  
After Frodo got up, with a little help from Holly, the four companions journeyed over to Pippin's house, which is where Jessica still was. When they walked in, they were soon followed by Merry, who was going over to see Pippin and possibly hurt him if he found Jessica with him.  
  
Holly told everyone else the story of her past, and of the elf that they had just met, and now Pippin glared at Merry, who was flirting with Jessica. Pippin was angered by the fact that Holly rejected him, but he couldn't think of being rejected by Jessica as well.  
  
"Hey, Merry, can I see you outside?" Pippin asked and walked over, grabbed Merry's collar, and dragged him outside.  
  
Jessica and Holly sat together and started gossiping about random things. They heard some arguing followed by a punch and started to flock outdoors, where they saw Pippin lying on the ground and Merry over him, his left hand now holding Pippin's collar, and his right hand was pulled back as he was ready to strike. Holly had a shocked look on her face; she never knew her brother could hurt anyone physically. She also knew that Pippin was exceptionally strong for a hobbit.  
  
"Merry, what do you think you're doing?!?" Holly half-exclaimed and half- questioned her brother.  
  
"I'm just defending your best friend. Pippin said something pretty interesting about you, Jessica, and I got so outraged that I couldn't help it!" Merry looked down at Pippin, who had as shocked a look on his face as Holly had on hers. Jessica's eyes glazed over when she realized how much Merry cared about her to defend her like that. She couldn't believe she liked Pippin, who had insulted her.  
  
"Merry, unhand Pippin, please. Then, come with me." Jessica motioned to the woods, where the two went to talk. Pippin then glared at Frodo, who was now talking to Holly.  
  
"Frodo…you took my first love away…then my best friend takes another away…I feel so hurt!" Pippin stormed off into the woods, leaving a very shocked group of hobbits and elf.  
  
Holly was about to run after Pippin, when Frodo stopped her.  
  
"He needs time alone, Ms. Brandybuck. Let him sort out his feelings, then talk to him." Frodo put his arm around Holly's shoulder and stared at the rest of his friends.  
  
"Perhaps we should go to my house. It is close enough and it seems that the host has just left in a rage." Sam suggested, and Holly, Frodo, and Nenya, who had been quiet throughout the entire fight, followed Sam to his hobbit hole.  
  
"Hobbits are very strange creatures. Just when you think you understand them, they do something unpredictable." Nenya finally spoke up.  
  
The rest of that day, the four companions left talked about what had just happened and some incidents that had happened earlier which shall not be mentioned, as they are unimportant in context of the story. They left at sundown, when Jessica returned with Merry. The two had been talking, and finally decided to go together to Bilbo's birthday party. Pippin had not returned, as Merry checked to see if he did. Holly started worrying about her friend, and while everyone else was saying their goodbyes, she left quietly and ran into the woods, on a desperate search. 


	9. Possessions

(A/N: Whoa, I've got so many subplots I've gotta figure out how to resolve them all…This will be a pretty damn long story, I can promise you that much.)  
  
Chapter 9-Possessions  
  
"Pippin??" Holly screamed when she found him tied up to a tree. When she turned around to find the one that attacked him and bound him to the tree. The creature, wrapped in darkness, hit her over the head with a broomstick.  
  
Holly awoke tied to a tree next to Pippin and would have screamed if her mouth wasn't gagged. She saw the creature in perfect sight; it was Nenya!  
  
"Hello, little hobbit. You are exactly what I was looking for and now I have found you!" the elf said. "You may think I am your elf-friend Nenya, but I am not. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lilac Butterstone, evil spirit at your service." The creature bowed and cackled evilly. "Now that I have found you, I can finally enslave the world into darkness!" (A/N: okay…talk about cliché, I know, but it works, so I'm using it)  
  
If Holly was not gagged, she would probably have insulted the spirit boldly, but she couldn't, so she just thought of what she could do to get out of the mess.  
  
Holly noticed Pippin waking up, and she also noticed a shadow coming behind the now possessed elf.  
  
"Since you aren't going anyway for a while, I'll tell you what happened. I have been living as a spirit, possessing people as the moments arose, and I came across a nice old chap, Bilbo he was. So, I possessed him and then found your friend, Pippin, and tied him to the tree. Then, Nenya was about to warn you before I possessed him and here I am. And here you are, as well, and there is nothing you can do."  
  
"Actually there is something she can do." Nenya was then knocked out by Frodo, who had heard the entire speech.  
  
Frodo untied the two hobbits. Pippin, who was speechless, listened to Holly's account of the situation. Pippin then looked up to see a beautiful young hobbit walking by, and grinned. He had never seen anyone so beautiful and could have sworn that she was new to Hobbiton. Pippin walked up to the girl while Frodo and Holly watched them.  
  
"Hello, miss, are you new to Hobbiton?" Pippin asked.  
  
"Yes, my family moved here just yesterday. I'm Gabriel Stalayton, I come from Prayell, it's a small town secretly located west of Bree. And you are…?" Gabriel asked. She started flirting with Pippin before she knew his personality.  
  
"I am Peregrin Took, but you can call me Pippin." Pippin said and the two walked on the path while Frodo and Holly laughed.  
  
"Looks like Pippin's over Jessica!" Holly said, laughing.  
  
"I better take you away before that Lilac lady gets out of Nenya once he wakes up!" Frodo said. While Holly looked away, Frodo gave a sinister look at her and had a knife held behind his back.  
  
Holly was about to walk into the Brandybuck hobbit hole when Frodo decided to make his move.  
  
"I wouldn't go in if I were you, Ms. Misurka." Frodo said fiercely.  
  
Holly gasped when she turned around and saw him holding a knife in his hand. "Oh my…"  
  
Frodo cackled and was about to pierce Holly's chest when Merry opened the door and knocked Frodo out. Merry looked to Frodo and then to Holly. "What just happened?" Merry asked.  
  
"An evil spirit that was trying to kill me ever since I was born possessed Frodo and tried to kill me. It also possessed Nenya and Bilbo, but they should be alright." Holly informed her brother.  
  
"You speak as if that kind of thing happens every day!" Merry said.  
  
"Well, when you've been hanging around Pippin, that kind of thing seems normal." Holly laughed. "Speaking of Pippin, I think he might actually have a possible girlfriend!"  
  
"Really? Well that'll do a lot for his self-esteem." Merry laughed with Holly.  
  
The two placed Frodo on a chair, tied him up and gagged him. They wondered when the spirit would be finished with Frodo and whether Lilac Butterstone knew the relationship between Holly and Frodo.  
  
"Don't worry, Holly, he will be better, Lilac can't stay in there forever…I doubt she'd want to!" Merry laughed after Holly glared at him. "I'm kidding!"  
  
"You better be kidding!" Holly said. She then walked out and saw Jessica approaching.  
  
"Holly! Pippin told me about the entire incident while she was with that new hobbit, Gabriel! Are you alright??" Jessica walked over and hugged her.  
  
"Well, I could have been dead, if it weren't for Merry and Frodo. Although Frodo did try and kill me as well…how's Nenya?" Holly asked.  
  
"He's fine, he stopped by our hobbit hole to see how I was doing after the whole incident with Pippin and Merry the night before." Jessica said.  
  
"How are you doing??" Holly asked hugging Jessica tightly. "I can't believe that Pippin could insult you…did Merry tell you what he said?"  
  
"Oh yeah, Merry…we are now going to the birthday party!! It's so exciting! Anyway, Pippin said that I was…uh…I can't say it!" Jessica blushed and looked at the ground. "It was so unlike Pippin that I couldn't believe he could say it."  
  
"Well, at least everything seems to be turning out alright…I hope it continues this way!" Holly said, leading Jessica inside while explaining the last part of the incident.  
  
(A/N: Well, how do you like it now? I made sure Pippin will be happy! Because we have to make sure all the hobbits are happy! Now…we just need to make Nenya happy…where is Arwen?? LOL j/k) 


	10. Visions

Chapter 10-Visions  
  
Frodo awoke, tied to a chair and his mouth gagged with a rag. (A/N: hehe...gag...rag...that rhymes...(i'm tired, alright??)) He looked at his surroundings and figured out where he was. He noticed Nenya and growled. Lilac was still within his body but found the hobbit's spirit was strong and was quickly fighting back for control.  
  
"Lilac Butterstone, do not try to struggle. We tied your bindings tightly and you are weak from being within Frodo's body too long. Leave Frodo's body and be banished from the Shire forever!" Holly said. She spoke these words as if she'd heard them before. Then she had a vision.  
  
"Vernila Misurka, your child or your life!" said a woman clothed in black.  
  
"Ms. Butterstone, I presume." the woman known as Vernila Misurka did not cower down at the site of this lady. "So now you have figured out how to possess. Too bad if I kill that who contains your spirit, you shall die."  
  
"You would not kill. You have too good a heart to do such deeds." Lilac Butterstone said.  
  
Vernila took out a sword. "Do not be too sure. I can see you have corrupted this woman. If you were to exit her body, she would still be evil." With that, a great fight began. It ended with Vernila piercing Lilac's stomach and a dark and evil presence leaving the body.  
  
The vision then passed through time to another encounter.  
  
"So we meet again, Misurka. Where is the child? I know she still exists." another being, this time a male elf who still looked innocent and was clothed in green, but had menacing eyes.  
  
"Lilac, still at your same tricks? You haven't changed. Now you must be an evil spirit alone for the rest of your life." Vernila began. She then jumped into the air and pounced on the elf. She had immense power over the weakened being and held him to the ground. She bound him to a tree with rope. "Do not try to struggle, Lilac. I tied your bindings tightly and you are weak from being within Haldir's body too long. Leave Haldir's body and be banished from Mirkwood forever!"  
  
Holly understood why her words sounded so familiar and when she looked around she felt as if she was in Mirkwood instead of her hobbit hole. Frodo scowled at her and finally, Lilac, weak from being in one body too long, left and went away from the Shire. Frodo's eyes glazed over as tears from trying to fight the demon flowed. Holly untied him and hugged him. "Thank god you're back!"  
  
"So who thinks that Lilac has not left the Shire for good?" Merry asked. "Well she's not going to stop searching for you until you...die..."  
  
"You are most likely correct, brother...I wish this burden could be lifted some way. If only something killed that miserable Lilac Butterstone before she could possess anyone!" Holly yelled and collapsed onto the floor sobbing. Frodo walked over to her and stroked her face, wiping her tears away.  
  
"Do not worry, we shall protect you every step of the way." Frodo said.  
  
"Thank you, my friends, I am glad I can count on you!" Holly laughed and found her way into her room and gathered her sketches. "In the meantime, I think I'll sketch random things."  
  
The hobbits and elf sat silently for a while until a knock came at the door. It was an old man dressed in gray carrying a staff and wearing a blue hat.  
  
"Gandalf!" Holly exclaimed. "Thank you for coming, we desperately need your help!"  
  
"Yes, my child, I sensed it. I shall help you banish this evil spirit. In the meantime, please try to get some rest, you need it!"  
  
Holly crept into her bed and soon fell asleep. She woke up and was surprised to find Frodo asleep beside her. She grinned at the sleeping hobbit and quietly left her room to cook breakfast. She was happy to see that everyone else had left and that she only had to make herself, Merry, and Frodo breakfast. She took out enough to make for three hobbits and an elf because she sensed that Nenya was nearby and would be hungry.  
  
"Hey, sis." Merry said, after he woke up. "Cooking breakfast again, I see."  
  
"What else would I be doing? It's too early to fight evil spirits." Holly laughed.  
  
"Well you could be...no you did that last night." Merry hugged his sister. "I'm just glad you weren't taken by Lilac."  
  
"I am too. I would not very much like being a slave to an evil spirit. I'm better than that!" Holly laughed again. She started singing while she watched her food cooking. She looked towards her room to notice Frodo walking towards her.  
  
Frodo hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Well isn't this a beautiful day. An evil spirit has been banished for some time and my girlfriend cooks me breakfast!" Frodo laughed and looked to Merry whose face looked unhappy.  
  
"Merry..." Holly started. "It's okay, this one's good!"  
  
Merry smiled and knew that Frodo would never hurt her. The way he handled her was so innocent that he couldn't be anywhere near the heartbreaker some hobbits could be. He nodded and talked to Frodo while Holly called to Nenya, sleeping under a tree.  
  
The four sat down to a nice quiet breakfast and discussed the actions that would be taken in order for the evil spirit to be completely banished from Middle-Earth forever. 


	11. The First Birthday Party

(A/N: This chapter is a few days later then the day Chapter 10 left on. I figured I should probably fast forward a bit so we can get closer to Bilbo's birthday party. It is now one week before the party [figure that not all the chapters were just one day in between]  
  
Chapter 11-The First Birthday Party  
  
Holly walked over to Frodo's hobbit hole, where she found Gandalf. "Hello, Frodo, Gandalf. Tell me what is to happen today."  
  
"It is now one week until Uncle Bilbo's birthday party and I sense that some great evil is bound to show up before than." Gandalf said. He then smiled for he noticed the way Frodo looked at Holly. "But, I'll leave you two alone while I go to figure out where Lilac Butterstone could possibly have gone to.  
  
Frodo walked over to Holly and hugged her tightly. She kissed him and grinned. "I do not care if there shall be an evil showing up, just as long as I live to see your uncle's birthday!" Holly kissed him again and then ate breakfast, which Frodo had prepared before she arrived. "Sowhat did you have prepared for today? You said there was going to be a surprise."  
  
"Yes, a surprise. But I shall keep that a surprise until the time is right." Frodo grinned mysteriously and after they finished breakfast, Frodo blindfolded Holly and grabbed a basket. He then guided her out the door and into the fields. It seemed like they were walking for hours when finally Frodo had stopped. He took off the blindfold and, standing there, were all of her friends that she had known since she came to be a Brandybuck.  
  
"Surprise!" They all shouted and, hanging from two trees hung a banner that read. 'Happy Birthday, Holly!' Everyone laughed at Holly's face, which was a combination of surprise and happiness.  
  
"Nenya had told us that today was your birthday, so we figured we'd fix up a special party." Jessica explained.  
  
"I was going to tell you this information, but I didn't want to ruin both surprises." Nenya said, laughing. He was no longer dressed in black, but wore the traditional green Mirkwood tunic.  
  
"That is just fine, I was very surprised either way! So, how old would that make me, Nenya?" Holly asked.  
  
"That makes you thirty-one, mistress." Nenya said. "A very respectable age for hobbits, I'll say. For ladies, I would say it would be the equivalent of a coming-of age."  
  
"I agree" Frodo said, and noticed that she looked like she was at the peak of her beauty.  
  
Holly blushed. She was one-week ahead of Frodo's coming of age, yet she was younger. Her thoughts trailed off to Bilbo's birthday party and she became more suspicious that someone among her friends was the new body for Lilac.  
  
Her suspicions were confirmed when she noticed someone walking off. She whispered something in Nenya's ear and he nodded. Taking out his bow and arrow, he crept off to follow the shadow.  
  
Frodo, Jessica, Merry, and Sam began singing a song that they had thought up a few days before the party and made Holly blush an even brighter shade of red. Frodo then showed Holly an attempt at her portrait that he had been drawing one day when she didn't notice. It was pretty good, considering Frodo didn't have as much talent as Holly, and Holly decided to tack it up to her wall when she came home.  
  
The cake was about to be served, when Holly heard a branch snap behind her. A hobbit charged at her, but Nenya knocked her out just in time.  
  
"Thank you, Nenya. Well, looks like Lilac is back" Holly mumbled. She noticed the black spirit that was contained in the hobbit who charged at her emerged from the body. "She's getting stronger, too!"  
  
Holly then went unconscious as Lilac tried to force herself within Holly's body. While Holly was in the middle of the internal struggle, Gandalf spoke some incantations to try and help Holly win. When Holly awoke, no one was sure whether Holly or Lilac one. Everyone crept away and, when Frodo looked into Holly's eyes, he noticed the sparkle of blue that was always there. He remembered that the body of Lilac's captives always had duller eyes.  
  
"It's alright, guys, it's Holly." Frodo said, and hugged her. Holly started crying, she was weak from the struggle, and Lilac had been banished from the Shire forever.  
  
"Right before she lost, I knew exactly where she was fleeing to." Holly began. "She's gone to Mordor, I think Lilac knows something we don't. She said something about a new ally"  
  
Gandalf's eyes lit up. He didn't want to think about what this could possibly mean, so he decided that he would file this idea to the back of his mind until the idea arose again.  
  
"Well, we've still got this nice, juicy cake to eat!" Pippin said, who had been silently sitting next to Gabriel the entire time.  
  
"Yes, let's eat!" Holly said, and she cut her cake and served it to her friends.  
  
Holly secretly knew that Lilac would be back, but she didn't want her friends to worry about this. She told herself that she would prepare herself and build her strength up should Lilac come back with a friend to help her.  
  
"Well, this was a very interesting party." Holly said to Frodo once her less-than-best friends had left. "I shall enjoy having something different happen each year!" Holly laughed and held Frodo's hand. Tears came to her eyes as she took in his features. She had a feeling that next week would be the beginning of a new adventure, one that would separate them for many years. "Never leave me" Holly embraced Frodo as she started to cry and the two kissed while the sun set. The other hobbits were talking and cleaning up and didn't notice this happening. 


	12. An Affair To Remember

Chapter 12 - An Affair To Remember  
  
Because it was just three days before the birthday party, Holly decided to invite all of her friends, including her newer friends Rosie and Gabriel. Holly had gotten friendlier with Rosie because Merry and Sam hung out more through Jessica, and while Sam was with Merry, Rosie would be with Jessica and Holly.  
  
Once everyone came over, Pippin and Jessica immediately started gossiping in Holly's room. Apparently Jessica and Gabriel became quick friends and Holly was a little jealous because Holly and Jessica hardly hung out anymore. Holly, Frodo, Sam, and Rosie were off in the kitchen talking and drinking tea. Merry and Gabriel were bonding in Merry's room.  
  
"So, Jess…how's life with Merry?" Pippin asked sadly.  
  
"You're talking as if I'm married to him! Pippin, you'll always be my friend and first love." Jessica winked and laughed. "Come one, cheer up Pip, you've got a very beautiful girlfriend there."  
  
"She's not my girlfriend…" Pippin said, debating whether or not to add the "yet" to the end. He decided against it and started to edge his way closer to Jessica.  
  
"I was wondering…why did you say those horrible things about me to Merry??" Jessica asked.  
  
"Oh…those things…I know I got a bit carried away…but I just don't like your style…I was expressing my opinion and Merry defended you." Pippin looked nervously at Jess, hoping she'd understand. He still had feelings for her somewhere in the back of his heart.  
  
"Well, maybe if you thought once in a while, you'd actually speak nicely and intelligently…and you'd get a girlfriend a lot quicker." Jessica laughed.  
  
"Hey, I don't talk that stupidly! Besides, who needs intelligence when they've got strength and dexterity!" Pippin posed in a manly way and made Jessica laugh even more.  
  
"I have to say, you're quite the unusual hobbit." Jessica said. She then smiled and was rather caught off guard when Pippin closed his eyes and moved in to kiss her. Pippin had forgotten all about Gabriel and for the moment Jessica forgot about Merry…that is until he burst in.  
  
"Hey, Jess…Pip…can I ask for your…JESS??" Merry walked in and noticed them kissing. He was angry, sad, and confused all at once, and turned to leave, tears starting to well from his eyes.  
  
"Merry, wait!" Jess ran after him and out of Holly's hobbit hole, leaving the rest of the hobbits extremely confused. Pippin walked out, not really sure of what he just did. Once he heard the exchange of words outside the hobbit hole, he burst into tears and realized what he had done.  
  
"Hey, Jess Pip can I ask for your...JESS??" Merry walked in and noticed them kissing. He was angry, sad, and confused all at once, and turned to leave, tears starting to well from his eyes.  
  
"Merry, wait!" Jess ran after him and out of Holly's hobbit hole, leaving the rest of the hobbits extremely confused. Pippin walked out, not really sure of what he just did. Once he heard the exchange of words outside the hobbit hole, he burst into tears and realized what he had done.  
  
"What's wrong, Pippin?" Frodo asked. He went up and comforted his friend.  
  
"I just kissed Jessica...I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late." Holly and Frodo finally got Pippin to calm down.  
  
"Slow down, Pip! Take a deep breath and calm down. Now, I'm sure Merry will understand! I mean...it's not like this was the very first time you kissed a dating girl." Holly said, and then Frodo looked at her and wondered what she meant.  
  
"Oh, it was nothing, just a small kiss. I was drunk when it happened." Pippin explained.  
  
Frodo started backing away from Holly when he heard this. "How come you never told me??"  
  
"I didn't think it was that important. I didn't kiss back, I promise!" Holly started crying when Frodo turned so that he would not be able to look at Holly or Pippin.  
  
"Oh come on, Frodo, it was nothing more than a mere peck on the lips, I promise!" Pippin said.  
  
"Sam, please tell Pippin that I cannot hear a word he or Holly says." Frodo said.  
  
"Pippin, Frodo-" Sam began, but was cut off.  
  
"I can hear him perfectly Sam, no need being a mediator." Pippin said. "Please tell me, as a fellow boy and dating hobbit...would you not say that the conditions I was under, mainly being drunk, would be enough to say that the whole kissing thing meant nothing??"  
  
Gabriel was listening to all of this and then realized she was only going with Pippin to the party as friends. The way he was talking seemed to show he still had feelings for Holly, and the kissing incident showed that he still had feelings for Jessica. "Well, Pippin, I'm going home. When you decide that you're finally over those two girls, stop by, I'd be happy to see you again." Gabriel said coldly and left. She couldn't believe that she was being dumped like this.  
  
Frodo turned to Holly after hearing this. "Listen, Holly...I'm not really that mad that you didn't tell me...considering that you seem to be telling the truth...just next time something like this happens and I won't be as offended!"  
  
Holly nodded. She kissed him on the cheek and whispered something no one else could hear. Frodo laughed and smiled. Holly then turned to Sam. "So, Sam, if you could judge our cases, whose side would you favor?"  
  
Sam held his head in his hands and shook his head. "I don't know what to do anymore...Rosie, can we please leave? And you've been awfully quiet lately."  
  
"Yes, well I have a reason to be, this argument didn't concern me and I wanted to stay out of it." Rosie said. She then took Sam's hand and was about to leave. "So, how about a nice stroll through the Shire and picnic in our usual place?"  
  
Frodo, Holly and Pippin heard this and laughed. "Looks like spy time!!"  
  
Meanwhile...  
  
Jessica ran after Merry. She caught up to him and grabbed his shoulder. He pushed her out of the way and blindly walked on. "Please, just listen to me, that kiss meant nothing to me...NOTHING!! N-O-T-H-I-N-G!"  
  
Merry just said nothing and kept on walking. Jessica stopped in her tracks and watched as Merry kept walking, not to any one place in particular, but just walking.  
  
"How did I get myself into this mess?" Jessica asked herself. She walked back to her hobbit hole and waited for Sam to come back. She debated the many things she should do to win Merry back and finally decided on one. She would go with Pippin and pretend to like him, and then on the day of the party, she would leave her latest wood carving on Merry's bed with a note attached. Maybe then Merry would understand the pain she would be going through when he sees Jessica with Pippin. 


	13. Repair and Despair

Chapter 13 – Repair and Despair  
  
That night, Jessica went to bed, tears in her eyes. Sam came into her room to comfort her.  
  
"Jess…I heard about what happened…" Sam said.  
  
Jessica said nothing. She was still in tears and tried to cry herself to sleep. Sam walked over to her bed and pulled a comforting arm around his sister. Different thoughts started running through his mind and he soon found himself thinking about payback for what his sister was going through. He couldn't believe he was thinking of such an evil thing. 'These are my friends! I can't hurt them, especially since Jessica did this to herself!' Sam started arguing with himself within his mind, all the while trying to comfort Jessica.  
  
The two lay there for hours, not one could sleep, for Sam was happy that he was going on another date, and Jessica couldn't sleep knowing that she hurt Merry like she did.  
  
Finally, they managed to fall asleep because they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore. They awoke with a knock at the door; it was Rosie, and she was ready to take him out on the date.  
  
"Hey, Rosie, come in, you can talk to Jessica while I get ready. And maybe you can talk to her, you know, cheer her up or something." Sam kissed Rosie and went into his room.  
  
"Hey, Rosie," Jessica said. "So…you and Sam are going out today. I would spy on you…but I'm not in the mood to."  
  
"So, you've been spying on us…well that's not too important. I was wondering what made you kiss Pippin last night?" Rosie asked.  
  
Jessica started sniffling with the memories of last night brought back. "I'm not sure…I guess I just got carried away and forgot all about Merry…what do you think happened?"  
  
"Well, if you want to know what I think, I think that deep down inside you still like Pippin, even though you and Merry were going out. I think that feeling grew with some memory and your feelings for Merry simply decreased," Rosie said in a matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"You may be right…but it was only for that moment…but can we not talk about it? It's too depressing to think about. What do you think's gonna happen with Pippin and Gabby?" Jessica asked.  
  
"I think it'll turn out a bit worse than it did with you, if it is as Sam told me. He said Pippin started the kiss, is this true?" Rosie asked.  
  
"Yes, it is true. And if Gabriel does decide to dump him, I don't think she's given Pippin enough of a chance. I mean, Pippin's not a bad person, he just doesn't make the best choices the entire time!" Jessica said.  
  
Sam came out of his room, dressed and Jessica smiled. Rosie had actually cheered her up. Jessica grinned and walked to Holly's hobbit hole and got her. "Sam and Rosie are going on their date. Surprise them and make it a double date! Go and get Frodo! They're going to the fields, you'll probably find them pretty easily!"  
  
Holly grinned and she went to tell Merry where she was going. Merry just nodded; his eyes were red from crying, and he wished that he could find the courage to forgive Jessica.  
  
Holly went to find Frodo and found him in Pippin's hobbit hole after a few minutes. "Hurry, let's go and surprise Sam!" Holly said. Pippin looked worse than Merry and Jessica. Holly found out that Gabriel not only wasn't talking to Pippin, but she refused to see him anymore.  
  
Holly managed to grab Pippin and dragged him into the fields with them. "We have to get you happier and I know just the way. You watch in the trees while we go on our date. But make sure you aren't seen my Sam, because I have a feeling he has placed a price on your head," Holly said. The three found the place where Sam and Rosie were and Pippin found his place in the bushes.  
  
"Hey Holly and Frodo!" Rosie said cheerfully. "Come, sit down, we have plenty of food left over!"  
  
Holly and Frodo sat on the blanket next to Sam and Rosie. "I hear you cheered Jessica up, Rosie." Holly said. "She really looks happy now."  
  
"I hope she does…because I'm not. When I get my hands on Pippin…I'll…." Sam trailed off.  
  
'Do what?' Pippin thought. 'What would you do to me?'  
  
"Hush, Sam, don't say such things, Pippin may be…well…however one would describe Pippin…. but you have to give him a chance! I should know, having been his best friend." Holly remembered everything they had and wished that she had continued to be his best friend after the kissing.  
  
When Holly glanced over to Sam and Rosie, she saw that they were kissing and Frodo, who was silent until now, put a hand on her shoulder. Holly grinned and she inched closer to Frodo until he was breathing down her back. They embraced and Frodo, Holly, Sam, and Rosie ended up having a contest to see who could kiss the longest. (A/N: I got this idea when I was watching a movie and I noticed two couples going at it lol!)  
  
The two couples went at it for what seemed like two hours, but was really a half hour. Sam and Rosie decided they could go at it for no longer and they let Holly and Frodo win. Everyone laughed over this and Holly had an idea.  
  
"Guys, listen up…we have to help Merry and Jessica get back together. But Pippin, I have a better girl who would be more suitable for his humorous taste." Holly grinned. When she returned back to her hobbit hole, she told Merry a romantic poem that she had read somewhere, and she told Merry that Jessica wrote it for him. Merry made it appear that he didn't care and that he was still hurt, and the latter one was true, but he did care, for it made him happier to know that Jessica still cared about him.  
  
Holly then went to Nenya and told him to find a girl that she remembered vague images of playing in the sandboxes when she was five. She remembered this girl had a sense of humor and that she was really sweet. She told him to hurry as fast as he could and try and find the girl and come back in two days.  
  
Everything was now set for the party. Holly and Frodo would try their hardest to get Merry and Jessica back together, get a date for Pippin, but most importantly, they would try to bring Merry, Pippin, and Sam back together as friends. It was working, for now, but could it go wrong? 


	14. The Long Expected Party

Rather Large Disclaimer: Alright, because I just feel like everyone knows this for absolute sureness…the following characters are JRR Tolkien's and can be used for other fanfics as long as the authors do not make money from it (like they are in my story): Merry, Sam, Frodo, Gandalf, Pippin, Rosie, Bilbo, Lilac, and Vernila. The following are mine alone and cannot be used without my permission: Holly, Serelia, Gabriel, Nenya, and Steranoaton. Lastly, no one can use Jessica without my friend's permission, which they can get through me. Thank you, this is a rather large disclaimer, signing off.  
  
Chapter 14 – The Long Expected Party  
  
It was the day of Bilbo's birthday party and everybody was restless. Merry, Sam, and Pippin still weren't talking to each other, neither were Merry and Jessica, and Gabriel and Pippin. Nenya came riding back to Holly's hobbit hole on a horse with a hobbit girl, looking just younger than Holly. She came from Staylina, an elvish city, where she was working to serve the prince. Nenya managed to persuade the prince to let her go and now she was walking towards Holly.  
  
"Is this the girl you were talking about?" Nenya asked.  
  
"Serelia Mottenheart!" Holly squealed and the two hugged. "I remember everything we did together until I turned seventeen and you had to move! I missed you!"  
  
"Holly!!" Serelia also squealed. "I missed you as well! Too bad my mother had to move far away. Once I was old enough, she made me work for Steranoaton, the prince of Staylina. Let us talk about what happened after our friendship broke apart over a cup of tea."  
  
"Well, I would if I had time, but I need you to get ready and escort my friend to a grand birthday party. I have a party dress if you need it," Holly said.  
  
Holly gave Serelia a dress and brought her into Holly's room to let her change. She also showed Serelia her pictures she drew of Frodo and Serelia agreed that he was a handsome hobbit.  
  
Holly let Serelia talk to Merry as Holly went to her room to change into her dress. Before she reached it, Nenya grabbed her hand.  
  
"Serelia wasn't the only thing I found on my journey. I wish you to wear this to the party." Nenya took out an elegant green woven dress that shimmered in the sunlight. "It was your mother's. I also found this as well." Nenya rummaged through his bag and took out a picture of a young lady on it. "This is your mother. She was a very beautiful hobbit, was she not?"  
  
Holly's eyes teared as she looked at the picture. She put it on the table and went to change into the green dress Nenya gave her.  
  
Holly came out minutes later to look at Merry and Serelia getting along quite well. Merry, I think there's something for you in your room. Serelia and I are going over to Pippin's hobbit hole, so you go see what it is." Holly smirked. She had helped Jessica plan this entire thing, to make sure that Merry was distracted while Jessica and Holly both figured out the perfect place to place a little wooden statue carved in the likeness of Merry.  
  
Merry saw the statue on his bed and he also saw the note. He read it and started crying.  
  
Although my actions did not show it,  
  
My emotions were plain for all to see,  
  
I do not wish for thee to leave me,  
  
Please understand it was but a mistake.  
  
All I need is your love again  
  
To make my heart whole,  
  
Sadly, I left you that day  
  
And my heart fell to pieces.  
  
Bring back that love I once knew  
  
So that we can live in peace once more,  
  
I need you to need me  
  
And to make my heart whole.  
  
Merry placed the small statue on his table by his bed and wiped his tears away. Jessica wasn't as good as Holly at poetry, but this was clearly the best poem he'd ever read. He knew Holly hadn't helped because it was different from her usual style of poetry. He picked up his outfit for the party and quickly put it on.  
  
Holly and Serelia met Pippin and Frodo at Frodo's hobbit hole. Frodo and Pippin were already changed and when Pippin saw Serelia, he immediately fell in love. 'She's even prettier than Gabriel and Holly combined!' he thought. Unfortunately, to Pippin's dismay, Serelia didn't fall in love at first sight. But, at least they were going to the party together.  
  
All eight hobbits met together at Frodo's hobbit hole thirty minutes after Holly and Serelia came to Frodo's hobbit hole. Jessica was dressed in a blue dress, almost as elegant as Holly's, only that it did not shimmer when she moved. Sam was happy to see that Merry and Jessica made up. Merry felt so sorry for leaving Jessica and not listening to her. He explained how scared he was when he saw them kissing and he knew that unless Jessica proved herself to love Merry still, he wouldn't forgive her.  
  
Sam was so delighted that he agreed to talk to Merry and Pippin again. The eight set off for Bag End, where the party would be taken place. They were so excited that everyone was friends again that it took them an hour to reach Bag End because they were talking so much and slowly moved.  
  
Serelia and Pippin exchanged jokes and ideas for practical jokes. Serelia began enjoying Pippin's company even more. She now liked him as a friend. But for Pippin, he wanted her to be more than a friend. He hadn't even felt this way around Gabriel. His love for Serelia was ten times that of his love for Gabriel, and when the eight finally reached the party, Pippin immediately led Serelia out onto the 'dance floor' (A/N: I guess it would the "dancing grass…I don't think they had dance floors in the Shire).  
  
1.1 Author: 'hits fast forward button'  
  
Pippin and Merry walked away from their dates while Sam and Rosie were out dancing, with a little help from Frodo. For some reason, even after the two dates Sam was nervous around Rosie.  
  
Pippin and Merry found themselves around the fireworks and Pippin jumped up into the cart of fireworks. He picked up a firework. "This one?"  
  
"No, no, the big one!" Merry whispered.  
  
Pippin grabbed a big red and yellow firework and tied it to a pole inside a tent. He lit it on fire and Merry looked frightened.  
  
"I told you to put it in the ground!" Merry exclaimed.  
  
"It is in the ground!" Pippin answered back.  
  
"Outside!" Merry was nervous, until the firework shot up through the tent, leaving the two hobbits with blackened faces.  
  
"That was good…let's do it again!" Pippin laughed, until a hand grabbed both their shirts.  
  
"Peregrin Took…and Meriadoc Brandybuck…what a surprise to see you two here." Gandalf said, he gave them clean-up duty after the dinner and then made them wash up and sit with their dates during Bilbo's speech.  
  
Author: 'presses fast forward through most of the speech 'cuz she can't remember it and doesn't have the book or the movie quotes handy'  
  
"This is the end…I'm going now…I bid you all a fond farewell…Goodbye!" Bilbo said. He then placed a ring on his finger, which was on his hand, which was behind his back and vanished. (A/N: Just wanted to clarify that no one could see the ring on the finger ;D)  
  
Everyone at the party was astonished, including Frodo. He knew about the ring and its powers, but he felt betrayed that Bilbo never told him of this plan.  
  
Holly looked to Frodo, who had never told her about the ring. She saw the astonishment in his eyes and tears started to form. She remembered the words that ran through her head. 'I have a feeling that Bilbo's party will bring a new adventure that will separate me from Frodo for years.' She didn't want Frodo to leave. In fact, she wanted to do anything to prevent him from leaving. 'What are you thinking? You can't do that in vain! If he has to go, he must!' another thought entered her head. She suddenly felt very alone and sadly followed Frodo and the other hobbits home. She hadn't listened to anything that her friends told her, she was thinking about Frodo and whether he would leave her, even though he promised never to. She watched him go into Bag End. She realized that now that he lived in Bag End and inherited all this money, he wouldn't have time for her. There would be many visitors and he would want to shut them out. She cried out and didn't realize that she actually screamed.  
  
"Is something the matter?" Frodo asked.  
  
"I just realized that you are leaving me. It might not be right away…but you will."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous. I shall be right here in Bag End for years to come!"  
  
But that promise was not held. For fifty years later, he would be getting a visit from an old friend. 


	15. Goodbyes

Chapter 15 – Goodbyes  
  
Holly was beginning to think Frodo wasn't going to leave her. Then, one fateful night, Gandalf returned from studying the Ring's past history. Gandalf gave a summary of the Ring to Frodo and he decided that he must leave. He remembered Holly and looked sadly at the drawing he had tacked onto his wall.  
  
"So she was right after all…" Frodo muttered.  
  
Gandalf heard noises outside, so he whacked the unsuspecting creature with his staff and pulled Sam Gamgee up by his shirt.  
  
Sam was forced to go along with Frodo, because Gandalf wasn't sure whether Sam was among the allies of Sauron.  
  
Immediately the next day, Frodo and Sam set off to tell Holly and Rosie that they were being forced to leave. They knew that they would be leaving in a few days, because of the oncoming danger, the Nazgûl, as Gandalf had called them.  
  
Holly was busy playing cards with Merry. (A/N: if hobbits didn't have cards…they do now!) "Hey, Frodo, Sam, what's going on? You look worried," Holly said.  
  
"I have a reason to…I…I…am going to…I…I…" Frodo trailed off, frozen in fear. He never knew how afraid he was of saying goodbye to the one he loved.  
  
"What the hobbit means to say is…like Bilbo…we must say goodbye…" Sam trailed off, his eyes filled with tears as he saw Merry's shocked face.  
  
"Why must you go?" Merry tried to look calmly, but he just couldn't. Holly, meanwhile, had tears streaming down her face while Frodo embraced her one last time.  
  
"I'll explain it to you once the deed is done…but we cannot talk about it here, there might be spies!" Sam whispered.  
  
"Shh!" Frodo exclaimed. "We cannot talk period. Come with us over to Pippin's hobbit hole. There we will say goodbye to everyone and be off in two days!"  
  
"Where are you going?" Merry asked.  
  
"Bree…why?" Sam asked.  
  
"I can get you there very quickly. I know the way!" Merry said.  
  
Holly looked to Merry. "No! You're not leaving me! Not even for a few days!"  
  
Finally, the four hobbits walked to Pippin's hole, where they found the rest of the hobbits playing poker. (A/N: All right so I like cards and I figure so do hobbits if they're anything like me :D and they must be because I'm obsessed with them)  
  
"What's wrong, Holly?" Jessica asked. She looked at Merry, then to Sam.  
  
Merry did not look at Jessica because he would start crying. He wanted to show Jessica how strong he could be. "We must leave you for a very long time...Frodo has some sort of task to do and…"  
  
"Merry, don't say anything else!" Frodo snapped. He was sick of people almost giving away everything and almost letting the evil into the Shire.  
  
"You're…leaving me?" Jessica's eyes teared. "You too?" She looked to Sam and he nodded. "My own brother…I'm going to be all alone…except for us girls!"  
  
All of the hobbits had a group hug and started sobbing uncontrollably. They finally stopped after Nenya came in to wish them all goodbye.  
  
"I shall miss having you four around. You brighten up my day…" Nenya let a tear escape. I would come and see you to Bree, and possibly Rivendell, but I have other business to attend to in Mirkwood. So I must leave as well," Nenya said, and then he kissed Holly goodbye and waved to the rest of them.  
  
Everyone started sobbing again after Nenya left and couldn't stop until Gabriel came to wish Pippin goodbye; she was moving again, this time to Staylina to stay with the elves living there.  
  
They didn't sob after that, though, their eyes were dry from crying too much. They finally parted their ways.  
  
TWO DAYS LATER…('cuz I have the really cool fast forwarding button)  
  
Frodo woke up and immediately grabbed his bag, running to Sam's hobbit hole. They then left without getting Merry and Pippin. Frodo had resolved to not getting them; he didn't want to get them into trouble. Sam left without waking up Jessica and sadly walked out of the Shire, leaving everyone behind.  
  
Merry and Pippin were shocked to see that Sam and Frodo didn't wake them up, so they went off to Farmer Maggot's to steal some food from his farm.  
  
Jessica and Holly woke up to find their brother's bed's empty and some provisions missing.  
  
"Well, they really did it this time…" Holly said to Jessica. "They actually left us behind for an adventure…"  
  
"I know…I can't believe this is happening!" Jessica started crying again and the two friends hugged while crying.  
  
(A/N: THIS IS THE END OF PART ONE OF "HOBBIT TALES" (I changed the name 'cuz the story kind of diverged from being a messed up love hexagon) PLEASE READ PART 2, OF WHICH CHAPTER ONE SHALL BE POSTED LATER TODAY.) 


End file.
